Punch Love II
by Harlow
Summary: Everyone hates Helga, and surprisingly she's not liking that. Friendships are torn apart. Will Helga be able to fix what she's broken?
1. Default Chapter

And finally...the moment you've all been waiting for...the Sequal to Punch Love. Dun dun dun! Hey Arnold! Copyright: Craig Bartlett...not me.  
  
Punch Love II  
  
Chapter 1: Gone  
  
She watched curiously as the blood trickled down her arms. It was pretty and frightening at the same time. Sitting in her claw-foot bathtub, naked in luke warm bathwater, she submerged her arms, plunging them into the water and letting them sit. The blood continued to flow, for as a professional suicide knows, the blood cannot clot if it is under water. She watched, utterly fascinated, as the bathtub slowly began to turn red. And redder. And redder. It was so beautiful that she could hardly breath. Unfortunately for her, this blonde girl with the sullen hazel eyes was not a professional suicide. As soon as she became light-headed, her arms were immediately taken out of the tub and she wrapped towels around them after she had unplugged the drain. the crimson bathwater drained away, tainting the solid white of the claw-foot tub. The girl stumbled and fell, passing out on the floor...  
Helga Pataki laughed as she watched the movie on the big screen in Big Bob's trophy room. The credits were rolling down the screen, accompanied by some sad, eerie music.  
  
"I think that was the most moronic movie I've ever seen. The stupidest plot line...No wonder it came straight to video. It couldn't sell it's way out of a box." Helga snorted, grabbing a fist full of popcorn from the large bowl that was between her and her sister, Olga. Olga, unlike the amused look on Helga's face, looked thoroughly shaken. Tears were streaming down her face. Helga rolled her eyes. "You are so freaking emotional. Has anyone ever called that to your attention?'  
  
Olga sniffled, blowing her nose on a tissue. "It was so beautiful..." she breathed in her high, far-off voice that Helga had the wonderful pleasure of listening to around the clock. "That girl was so sad. She reminded me of you Helga." Oh, big mistake.  
  
Helga immediately got defensive as she shot Olga a death look. "What the hell are you talking about? I would never do something that stupid! She's only cutting herself for attention so she can 'feel the pain' or some shit like that. I'm not that stupid. If I wanted to end it all, I wouldn't be such a pansy, I'd just do it." She crossed her arms resolutely over her chest.  
  
Olga began to sniffle more, and the tears began to flow. "Oh, baby sister!" she wailed, grabbing Helga into an embrace before the much disgruntled girl could protest. "I only meant because she has the same hair and eyes! I don't want you to ever be suicidal. I don't know what I'd do if you--if you..." Olga broke off sobbing more, but Helga just groaned, shoving her sister away.  
  
"Lay off, will you, Olga?" Helga pleaded, looking tired at having to put up with her sister's overly-emotional mentality. "I'm not suicidal alright? If I was, I would've ended it long ago..." Of course, this was her sarcasm kicking in full blast again, but Olga just wailed even more, her make-up running down her face.  
  
"I need to be getting to bed," she squeaked and jumped up, running out of the room.  
  
"Crimminy," Helga muttered, turning off the movie and then turning on a small light that was on the side table. Also on the side table was her book, Brave New World, which Helga must have read a dozen times. She picked it up, skimming through it, but couldn't concentrate.  
  
(How can I concentrate on a book when my life sucks?)  
  
It was Friday night...correction: Saturday morning. Early morning in fact. Around three a.m. but Helga couldn't tell anymore. Why she had agreed to watch that horrible independent film with Olga, Helga would never know. Perhaps it was just to make her forget about all the things that had been going on lately.  
  
..."You screwed up, Helga. You screwed up big time..."  
  
The words always seemed to resurface into the lodgings of Helga's mind. Her brow furrowed as she put--or rather, threw--the book down. It landed on the shag carpet and Helga layed down on the leather couch to think.  
  
A week had gone by. A week since the party. A week ago, everyone had liked her. Seven days later, she was fucked. She hadn't talked to anyone at school except Lila and Sheena. Helga knew she wasn't the most well-liked person in the world, but she did have friends. Keyword would be did. Everyone avoided her. It would practically raise Helga's spirits if people so much as glared at her. Of course, they had a right to glare at her. As Brainy had said, she'd screwed up. Naturally, Lila and Sheena still confided that they were her friends, but they were acting different around her now.  
  
Helga sighed, running her fingers through her short, messy blonde hair. "I am never drinking again," she said aloud. She must have said it a dozen times, but she always wanted to clarify. "Drinking will make everyone hate you." It was a rather stupid thing to say, considering she had screwed up a few times at the party when she was sober. Helga distinctly remembered kissing Sid and her conversation with Gerald.  
  
Helga brought up her arms, looking at her wrists, which were scar-free. Though Helga would never dare to do anything that idiotic, she almost wanted to at that moment. "I hate myself," she said out of the blue. It surprised her more than Helga thought it would, but it felt good to say it. Rubbing her eyes, Helga stood up. She was in her pajamas, which was basically just a pair of black cotton shorts and big t-shirt. She stretched and yawned loudly, glad that the week was finally over. Helga knew that there were never that many people that liked her, but having everyone in the school hate her was entirely different.  
  
(Bottom line: It sucks.)  
  
Mulling over the horrible week she'd had, Helga morosely made her way out of the Trophy Room and to the stairs. Humming Donna Summer under her breath, (her secret idol), Helga began to ascend the stairs. She was halfway up, when a frantic pounding came at the door. Whipping around, Helga's stomach did somersaults and her heart began beating furiously in her chest. She bolted down the stairs, unlocked the door, and threw it open.  
  
A familiar figure stood before her. The person she had only been reunited with a week ago. The person with the dark eyes, sandy hair, and perfect smile. Though he wasn't smiling now and his eyes were wide, while his hair was messed up, like he'd just woken up.  
  
Helga looked equally surprised as she surveyed Brainy. She was immediately going to make some snide comment, obviously not using her better judgement, but Brainy cut her off: "Phoebe's in the hospital. Some complications with her pregancy. You have to come with me, Helga. We have some things to talk about." He was speaking really fast and almost incoherently. His face was pale except for his flushed cheeks.  
  
The colour immediately drained out of Helga's face, but she decided to say nothing as she grabbed her coak, hurriedly scribbled a note saying where she was, and was out the door, following quickly behind Brainy. He hopped into his old Buick and Helga got into the passenger seat. She barely had time the close the door before he was off down the lone road, the big city seeming much darker than Helga had ever witnessed.  
  
Don't you all just love me for this wonderful beginning cliffhanger? Yay! Don't worry. I want to get started on this right away, so expect more chapters to follow very soon. 


	2. Chapter Two: My Dear Friend

Chapter Two: My Dear Friend  
  
The silence between them was maddening and Helga was hoping for anything--ANYTHING to happen. Some words. A carcrash. Or at the very least, let them get to the hospital already. She felt stifled and Brainy wasn't helping matters any. He wouldn't even look at her. There had been a silence like this between her and Brainy before, but it was good. It was right. This was utterly wrong.  
  
Sighing loudly on purpose, Helga looked over at Brainy who was still avoiding her gaze. "How about some music then?" she asked him, but Brainy made no move to turn on the radio. "OK..." Helga looked out the window. "Nice wheather we're having." It was dark outside. Not a cloud in the sky unless you counted the smog that came from the city. Exasperated, Helga through off her seatbelt and turned so that she was totally facing him. "Brainy, I know you're pissed but this is driving me mad. Can you say something please?" Her hazel eyes were blazing and she crossed her hands over her chest.   
  
Brainy slammed on the breaks, surprising Helga as she hit the dashboard. A loud "oomf!" spat out of her and she used her hands to heave her back into her seat. "What the hell is going on, Brainy?" She asked her voice rising now. Her blonde hair was down and messy around her pale face. Brainy's face was even more pale, sallow even.  
  
The frightening thing was, Brainy didn't even look angry. In fact, he looked very scared, disturbed. This was unnerving to Helga because she'd never seen that look even cross his face, let alone stay plastered to it. And suddenly, Helga knew there was more to Phoebe's story than Brainy was telling her. Everything in their past now was gone. Helga knew that Brainy wasn't caring right now that Helga had hurt him. All he cared about was what could happen to Phoebe.  
  
Placing a shaky, tentative hand on Brainy's shoulder, Helga's eyes widened as she asked him, "Brainy...what happened? What's wrong with Pheebs?"  
  
They were stopped right out in the middle of the street at an ungodly time in the morning. It didn't matter. There were no cars out. Helga felt trapped in a little world that was Brainy's car, as though she were frozen in time until the answer escaped his lips.  
  
Brainy hesitated for just a moment, struggling with the answer. "Helga..." he began, grabbing the hand she had put on his shoulder and holding it within his own grasp. "Phoebe had an abortion...but not the good kind."  
  
Helga's mouth dropped as she stared at him, incredulous. "What the fuck do you mean, 'not the good kind'?" She was shaking with anger now, pulling her hand back, out of his grasp. "Brainy, you fucking tell me where Pheebs is right now and what's wrong with her!"   
  
Brainy's solemn gaze only worsened. He was obviously trying his hardest not to cry and Helga felt bad for only a moment at her callous words. "She's in the hospital--now," he tried to explain, his voice shaking awfully. "But she had an illegal abortion done...she--she didn't want anyone to know. Especially her parents. She was going to say it was a miscarriage. But then something went wrong...I don't know. I only know that she's in the hospital now." Tears were streaming down Brainy's face yet, but the information had apparently not fully registered with Helga. She was still fuming.  
  
"How did you know all this, Brainy?" she asked her, her voice just above a whisper, though dangerously so. "How could you have known this when I didn't?"   
  
"Helga, you know Pheebs and I are close now! Probably closer than you and her are. She's been telling me everything.You don't even know the whole story about her and Iggy! She didn't want to tell you, especially after what happened...at the party..." Brainy's voice faded away and he started up the car again. "The hospital's right up here..." he added, though his voice sounded hollow and dead now.   
  
  
  
They pulled into the parking lot of the hospital and Helga jumped out, quick as lightening. She was still raging with anger but she'd decided not to say anything more to Brainy. She wondered how Phoebe or him could keep something like that from her. Sure, her and Phoebe had been drifting apart, but why couldn't it have been said at the party? Helga didn't want to admit it to herself, but she knew it was because Phoebe didn't quite trust her enough as a friend yet to disclose such information. And chances are, Helga probably would have gotten pissed at Phoebe for even suggesting getting an abortion. She had blabbed everything at the party when she was drunk. It could have been a lot worse if she was telling everyone that Phoebe was a baby killer.  
  
Brainy and Helga entered together at the main entrance of the hospital going up to the front desk and asking the woman at the counter for Phoebe's room.  
  
"Yes...Ms. Hiyerdahl. She asked for you to come," the woman said, looking at them both. "She doesn't want to see her parents yet, but she does want to see you. Visiting hours are over, but she's a very adamant little girl. I'll give you both five minutes." And she directed them down the hall and up the stairs to the left to Phoebe's room. Number 287.  
  
Walking up there, Helga's anger was diminishing and she was actually growing more and more frightened. Instinctively, she clung into Brainy's arm. In some perverse way, she was glad that he wasn't mad at her for the moment. Helga knew it couldn't last for long. She'd hurt Brainy deeply for what she'd done with Sid, making him believe that their was a future between them. Helga wanted a future between them, didn't she? Right now her mind was too clouded with other pressing matters to dote on it for long.  
  
They paused outside room 287, and Brainy finally took the initiative to rap lightly on the door. A male nurse answered, not much older than them it seemed. He smiled saying Phoebe was expecting them. Then he quietly let himself out, shutting the door as Brainy and Helga stepped inside.  
  
Helga almost crumpled at the sight before her. Her dear friend Phoebe was lying on the hospital bed, hooked up to an IV and other machines that Helga couldn't even identify. Her eyes were closed and her breathing seemed regular, but she looked so frail. Helga slowly walked up to Phoebe's bedside, while Brainy stayed behind. "Pheebs?" Her voice quavered when she said it, hoping her friend was unconscious.  
  
But Phoebe's eyes fluttered open and she looked at Helga and then over to Brainy then back to Helga. "What...no flowers?" she asked faintly and a smile came over her face.  
  
There were tears in Helga's eyes as Brainy came up to join her at the bedside. "Sorry, Pheebs. You know I'm cheap," Helga answered, the tears streaming down her face now. "How--how are you?" The room was so white and sterile, and such a drastic change from outside that it was blinding Helga. It was no wonder Phoebe had had her eyes closed.  
  
"I'm fine...fine," Phoebe answered, though she didn't sound fine. "I was able to get ahold of the police before I bled to death." For an instant, Helga thought her friend was joking, but the look in Phoebe's eyes showed nothing but pain and seriousness. Phoebe looked up at Helga. "Helga...I want you to know," she began. Helga couldn't tell if Phoebe was still angry out not, so she interjected before Phoebe could say more.  
  
"Pheebs, I'm really sorry about all that's happened. I really didn't mean for it to turn out that way. I had one too many drinks and...things just got out of hand." But Phoebe gave her a look that told Helga to stop.   
  
"I want you to know," Phoebe continued, looking down at the white sheet with floral print that covered her lithe body, "that I'm not mad at you anymore." Her eyes averted back up to Helga's. "In fact, I'm glad you told everyone about me...and what happened with Iggy." Phoebe's voice was choking up as though it was painful to recall such things, and perhaps it was. "My parents know now, too...and I talked to a lawyer. What Iggy did was wrong."  
  
Helga wanted to say, "I could've told you that, Pheebs." But she kept silent as Phoebe continued on.  
  
"So I'm bringing his ass to court," she told both Helga and Brainy, trying to sound as ruthless as possible, which sounded so out of place coming from Phoebe.   
  
"Good for you, Pheebs," Brainy said encouragingly. "We'll be there every step of the way." He tried to smile, but he was still having trouble showing any sort of happy emotion. Same for Helga.  
  
"I'll beat him bloody, Phoebe," Helga said, her fists already balling up with rage. "I'll make sure he pays." And Helga was dead serious.  
  
"No, Helga," Phoebe reprimanded her friend. "You can't do that. Iggy will get what's coming to him in court...if I get out of here fast enough." With those words, Phoebe began to sob horribly. Helga sat down on the bed and enveloped her in a hug.  
  
"Phoebe, what is it?" Helga asked, trying to calm her down.  
  
"I--I didn't want to do this!" Phoebe choked, tears streaming down her face. Her eyes were already red and puffy and her breathing was becoming irregular. "He threatened me, Helga. He said he'd kill me if I--if I didn't kill this baby. He set up where I'd get it done and everything."  
  
Brainy looked very surprised at Phoebe's words. He'd had no idea that Iggy was behind the idea of her getting an abortion. "Phoebe why would you listen to him?" He asked as Helga continued to hug her.  
  
"I was scared," Phoebe said. "I still am. I don't know what Iggy's going to do now that I'm bringing him to court. If he finds me before then..." And Phoebe broke down, not able to say anything else.  
  
  
  
Helga hugged her friend, for Phoebe was her friend again now, for what seemed like hours until the girl had calmed down considerably. Sitting back up, Helga saw that Brainy was still standing there, unsure of what to do.   
  
"Thank you," Phoebe sniffed. "I guess I'm just a little emotional." That was an understatement. But the girl had a right to be. "You see...the doctors are giving me these hormone drugs. Because of the abortion...and how it went wrong...I--I'll probably never be able to have children." Phoebe's face scrunched up again like she was about to cry, but she held it in. "Thanks, you guys for stopping by...but you should go. My folks are going to be here any minute and I don't want them to see me like this."  
  
Helga stood up so that she was by Brainy again. "Are you sure, Pheebs?"  
  
Phoebe nodded. "Yes, of course. It's late. Go home and get some sleep. I'll be here in the morning. I'll be here for awhile." She tried to smile at the words, but it was an empty smile. She let her face drop quickly.  
  
"We'll be back as soon as we can, Phoebe," Brainy promised, grabbing her hand and kissing it. "You take care. We and your parents will make sure nothing happens to you."  
  
Phoebe nodded, but said no more. Brainy and Helga made a quick exit, Helga being rather silent. The cogs in her mind were turning and she had a plan.  
  
Once outside the hospital, heading for the car, Brainy looked at Helga. "Helga, listen...I'm willing to put aside what's happened between us and just be friends for now. For Phoebe."  
  
Helga nodded. "Yes, I supposed that would be best. Criminy. Poor Pheebs..." Helga shook her head, her blonde hair falling across her face.  
  
Brainy reached out a hand, tucking a lock of Helga's golden hair behind her ear. It was the first gesture of kindness he'd made towards her that wasn't just about Phoebe. He smiled at her. "Good. Now, where to? I'm not much up for sleeping."  
  
"Neither am I," Helga replied and suddenly, the flame was coming back into her eyes. "No, Brainy. I have a better idea. I say we pay Iggy a little visit."  
  
"Helga, we can't do that. You heard what Phoebe said." His dark eyes were utterly serious, but he couldn't hide the intrigue that he had for Helga's plan.  
  
"Don't worry," Helga told him. "We're not going to hurt him...just give him a little message."  
  
Brainy wanted to protest, but he said no more. Just nodded and got into the car as Helga got in on the other side. Brainy surprised Helga by turning on the radio station. He tuned it until it came to something really loud and really angry.  
  
They were out of the hospital parking lot in ten seconds flat.  
  
Sorry it took so long to update. ^^ 


	3. Chapter Three: Fast Pace

DISCLAIMER: All characters and anything else related to Hey Arnold! was created by Craig Bartlett...not moi.  
  
Chapter Three Fast Pace  
  
Brainy's old Buick sputtered into the parking lot of the upscale apartments Iggy took up residence in. From rumours Helga had heard, Iggy used to live with his mom but had mysteriously made a whole bunch of cash, and had been emancipated. He was now living by himself, and living quite the luxurious life from what Helga saw as Brainy parked the car.  
  
"Criminy...is that a swimming pool on the roof?" Helga asked, disgusted that someone as vile as Iggy could live so comfortably.  
  
"We're not here to discuss Iggy's living situation, Helga," Brainy reprimanded her, stepping out of the car while Helga followed suit. He then turned to her, looking a little weary. "But what exactly are we here for, Helga? I told you: I'm not going to hurt Iggy...no matter how much I want to." His face darkened, glowering at the prospect.  
  
Helga ran a hand through her messy blonde hair, rolling her hazel eyes as she thought. Truth be told, the only "message" Helga could think to deliver to Iggy was a punch to the face. "I'm not sure...but we have to do something. You know, Brainy...scare him a little, so he doesn't think to come after Phoebe." Helga shuddered involuntarily in the darkness, wondering exactly what Iggy was capable of.  
  
"Well, first off," Brainy began, placing his hands in the pockets of his worn baggy jeans, "we have to figure out which apartment he lives in. I mean, look at this place..." Brainy craned his head up.  
  
The building was very narrow, scaling at least twenty stories. All in all, it had to be large enough to accomodate a few hundred tenements. Helga glanced over at the big wooden sign that was staked right in front of the main office of the apartment complex. Into it, the name of the apartments was carved.  
  
"Equestrian Pointe?" Helga snorted, raising one eyebrow at the sign. "What in the hell kind of name is that for an apartment?"  
  
Suddenly, and out of nowhere, Brainy began to laugh. And it wasn't just his usual light chuckle, it was raucous laughter that echoed all around. Helga looked surprised at Brainy's sudden outburst. She'd never heard him laugh like that. But one other thing about Brainy's laughter was it was highly infectious. Before Helga knew it, she had cracked a grin, and suddenly she was holding her sides, doubled over with laughter herself.  
  
The two laughed for a good five minutes, leaning against the car and eachother for any support they could get. With the laughing as their only means of conveyance, a new bond had formed between Brainy and Helga. The ice that had been between them was melting, and it was as though a second chance had developed. They were friends again--friends only for now--but still, it was a start.  
  
"Right...so..." Brainy said, trying to catch his breath. He straightened up, still grinning, his dark eyes looking over at Helga. Helga stopped laughing too, returning the gaze. His equally dark hair hung in his eyes slightly and for a moment Helga was reminded of his sheer good looks and stunning intensity.  
  
No wonder I fell for him...  
  
Awkward silence fell upon the two as they silently agreed to just walk up to the apartments. The parking lot was rather big, and it seemed they figured an idea would materialize before they reached Equestrian Pointe.  
  
However, thinking of an idea no longer became neccessary as out of the main doors of the complex came a familiar face. He was walking really fast, and though he was still somewhat far away, Helga was almost certain she heard him muttering to himself. The black hair and the bowl-cut gave him away immediately.  
  
"Curley?" Helga called, her expression incredulous as she quickened her pace to meet the little dweeb who had taken it upon himself to bother her all year. A new revelation was dawning on Helga with severity: she hadn't seen Curley all week until this night.  
  
Brainy followed closely behind as Helga called out Curley's name again. Curley didn't even look up although Helga was only a few steps away, but he had stopped and was now merely staring down at the sidewalk path. He was definitely muttering to himself, and dressed in only boxer shorts and a black Star Wars T-shirt. Curiously, his glasses were also gone. He was also shaking violently.  
  
Helga stopped short right in front of Curley, placing a tentative hand upon his shoulder. He jumped and looked around, though it was apparently hard for him to see anything without his thick glasses settled in their usual spot on his nose.  
  
"Curley..." Helga started, unsure of what to say, "...what are you doing here? Do you live here?" It didn't seem likely. The way Curley normally dressed suggested that he wouldn't be found living in a few-thousand-a- month apartment complex.  
  
Curley looked up and suddenly smiled, but something about it was highly unnerving--not the usual nerdy grin that Curley always sported. "Helga! Great to see you. It's such a nice night out, isn't it? Who's your friend? I don't think I've ever seen him around, but he looks kinda familiar. Have we met?" The words poured nonstop out of Curley's mouth, a nonsensical stream that under any other circumstances would have seemed entirely natural considering Curley was oftentimes a rather eccentric individual. But Helga had a bad feeling about this.  
  
Curley was still shaking--bad. He was grinding his teeth audibly enough for both Helga and Brainy to hear. He kept looking around as though he was paranoid.  
  
"Is he OK?" Brainy asked. They were standing under a lampost that lighted the walkway. Brainy was biting his bottom lip nervously. Like Helga, he knew something was up.  
  
"Fine fine..." Curley muttered, and Helga could see him blinking rapidly-- as though REM had set in but Curley wasn't asleep. His upper lip was twitching. "Just great...just great. Fine!"  
  
Something in Helga clicked about Curley behavior. She took a step back from him, her eyes hovering over him cautiously. Finally,  
  
"Curley, what the hell are you on?"  
  
Acting surprised (Curley wasn't the best actor), he looked from Helga to Brainy and then back to Helga, squinting all the while from the strain of not wearing his glasses. "On? What do you mean, Helga? I'm not on anything. Can't a guy walk around without being asked all these questions? Jeez..." Curley tapped his foot. Curley scratched his head. Curley continued to grind his teeth. All in rapid succession. "Look, I gotta get out of here. It was great seeing you guys. Helga, I'll catch you later at school, huh? Save you a seat at lunch, huh? Look, I'll even buy you lunch on Mon--"  
  
Helga's fist was abruptly wrapped around Curley's shirt collar while her other hand gripped hiw black hair. Curley cried out in surprise and even Brainy jumped to alert, wondering whether he should stop Helga or not. Instead, Brainy merely stepped closer, crossing his arms over his chest and surveying the display before him.  
  
"Listen up, Curley old pal," Helga said, her voice dropping to a low and menacing tenor. The years in gradeschool and her reputation as bully all came flooding back for an instant. Helga's eyes were narrowed and her jaw was clenched so hard she could have bit through steel. Curley looked thoroughly frightened, his lip twitching horribly and his face turning an unflattering shade of puce. "I'll deal with your moronic drug addiction later. For now, I want you to tell me one thing: where did you buy your stuff from?" Her grip tightened on his collar, stretching it up so the twerp was practically on his tiptoes.  
  
Curley clutched uselessly at Helga's fist, trying to undo the firm grasp, but then he was flooded with memories of being beaten up by Helga countless times back at PS 118, and knew it was futile. His dilated pupils looked around wildly. "OK, Helga. Shit, don't kill me or anything. Iggy. I got my stuff from Iggy, OK?"  
  
Helga sighed, loosening her grip a fraction of an inch.  
  
Brainy nodded. "Figures," he said. He now addressed Curley. "So where's Iggy's apartment located, Curley?"  
  
"What, are you guys going to buy from him, too? If that isn't hypocrisy then--" Helga gripped tighter, nearly strangling Curley who promptly shut up.  
  
"No, we're not that idiotic, my friend," Helga told Curley. "Now I want you to tell me Iggy's apartment number or you will discover an exact and thorough definition of pain."  
  
At this point, Curley actually looked about ready to burst into tears. He was still shaking uncontrollably, the drug (Helga mentally guessed it was speed) was probably wearing off right now and Curley would be coming down from it. Helga shook her head. Who would have thought?  
  
"1...147B," Curley sputtered out, closing and reopening his eyes quickly. "Helga, I just want to go home. Let go of me, OK?"  
  
Helga complied, letting go of Curley's shirt collar, which was now stretched out around his neck. Curley stumbled back, running both hands through hair.  
  
"I never would have expected you to dabble in something that low, Thadius," Helga said, her voice filled with pity. "You can expect a talk from me later. Now get your ass home."  
  
"Yeah, gotta get home..." Curley mumbled, hugging himself and rubbing his arms with his hands. He now looked a thorough mess, and Brainy was about to suggest giving him a ride home when Curley took off running, sprinting across the parking lot and down the street.  
  
"Jesus Christ..." Helga muttered, placing her head in her palm. "So Iggy makes his money buy selling illegal substances."  
  
"Makes sense," Brainy said, placing a comforting arm around her. "Where else would he get all his money--posing for magazines?" He cracked a grin at her and Helga returned a dim smile.  
  
"He's not that good-looking," she replied, and they both laughed again. "147B..." Helga looked up at the apartments again and they both began walking for the main doors. "Time to pay that creep a well deserved visit."  
  
As they walked through the main doors of Equestrian Pointe, Brainy's arm was still around her.  
  
First and foremost, I would like to thank everyone that has reviewed my stories. If you check back recently, you'll see I've deleted some that I felt weren't going anywhere. But hey, I'm still sticking with Punch Love and though this is the first I've updated in a long ass time, I'm sure not going to let this story die. Hope I still have some fans out there. OO You can expect more updates now, and I promise to finish this story relatively soon. It should be interesting. And just for reference, from now on the "" indicate Helga's thoughts. R&R! 


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